2015 League of Ireland Premier Division

Last updated

League of Ireland Premier Division
Season2015
Champions Dundalk (11th title)
Relegated Limerick
Drogheda United
Champions League Dundalk
Europa League Cork City
St. Patrick's Athletic
Shamrock Rovers
Matches played198
Goals scored548 (2.77 per match)
Top goalscorer Richie Towell: 25
(Dundalk) [1]
Biggest home win Dundalk 8-1 Bray Wanderers
(4 May 2015)
Biggest away win Bray Wanderers 0-5 Galway United
(25 April 2015)
Highest scoring Dundalk 8-1 Bray Wanderers
(4 May 2015)
Highest attendance6,900 [2]
Total attendance324,332 [3] [note 1]
Average attendance1,638
← 2014
2016 →

The 2015 League of Ireland Premier Division was the 31st season of the League of Ireland Premier Division. Dundalk were champions and Cork City finished as runners-up.

Contents

Teams

Stadia and locations

Dublin map.png
Red pog.svg
Red pog.svg
Red pog.svg
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Locations of Dublin Premier Division teams
TeamLocationStadium
Bohemians Phibsborough Dalymount Park
Bray Wanderers Bray Carlisle Grounds
Cork City Cork Turners Cross
Derry City Derry Brandywell Stadium
Drogheda United Drogheda United Park
Dundalk Dundalk Oriel Park
Galway United Galway Eamonn Deacy Park
Limerick Limerick Markets Field
Longford Town Longford City Calling Stadium
Shamrock Rovers Tallaght Tallaght Stadium
Sligo Rovers Sligo The Showgrounds
St Patrick's Athletic Inchicore Richmond Park

Personnel and kits

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

TeamManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Bohemians Flag of Ireland.svg Keith Long Flag of Ireland.svg Derek Pender Hummel Mr Green
Bray Wanderers Flag of Ireland.svg Alan Mathews
Flag of Poland.svg Maciej Tarnogrodzki
Flag of Ireland.svg David Cassidy
Flag of Ireland.svg Trevor Croly
Flag of Ireland.svg David Cassidy
Flag of Ireland.svg Mick Cooke 		Flag of Ireland.svg David Cassidy Nike Royal Hotel
Cork City Flag of Ireland.svg John Caulfield Flag of Ireland.svg John Dunleavy Nike Clonakilty Sausages
Derry City Ulster Banner.svg Peter Hutton
Flag of Ireland.svg Paul Hegarty 		Ulster Banner.svg Ryan McBride Umbro Diamond Corrugated
Drogheda United Flag of Ireland.svg John McDonnell
Flag of Ireland.svg Mark Kinsella 		Flag of Ireland.svg Michael Daly Nike Scotch Hall Shopping Center
Dundalk Flag of Ireland.svg Stephen Kenny Flag of Ireland.svg Stephen O'Donnell Umbro Fyffes
Galway United Flag of Ireland.svg Tommy Dunne Flag of Ireland.svg Paul Sinnott Macron Comer Property Management
Limerick Flag of Ireland.svg Martin Russell Flag of Ireland.svg Shane Duggan Macron Galtee Fuels
Longford Town Flag of Ireland.svg Tony Cousins Flag of Ireland.svg Mark Salmon Macron City Calling
Shamrock Rovers Flag of Ireland.svg Pat Fenlon Flag of Ireland.svg Conor Kenna Warrior Pepper
Sligo Rovers Flag of Ireland.svg Owen Heary
Flag of Cameroon.svg Joseph N'Do & Flag of Ireland.svg Gavin Dykes
Flag of England.svg Micky Adams 		Flag of Ireland.svg Gavin Peers Umbro Volkswagen
St Patrick's Athletic Flag of Ireland.svg Liam Buckley Flag of Ireland.svg Ger O'Brien Umbro Clune Construction Company L.P.

Overview

The 2015 Premier Division consisted of 12 teams. Each team played each other three times for a total of 33 games. The season began on 6 March and concluded on 30 October. [4] On 9 October, with three games still remaining, Dundalk retained the title after a 1–1 draw with Shamrock Rovers. [5] [6] [7]

Final table

PosTeam
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification or relegation
1 Dundalk (C)3323917823+5578Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round [a]
2 Cork City 33191045725+3267Qualification to Europa League first qualifying round
3 Shamrock Rovers 33181145627+2965
4 St Patrick's Athletic 33184115234+1858
5 Bohemians 33158104942+753
6 Longford Town 33109144153−1239
7 Derry City 3398163242−1035
8 Bray Wanderers 3396182751−2433
9 Sligo Rovers 33710163955−1631
10 Galway United 3394203961−2231
11 Limerick (R)3378184673−2729Qualification to Relegation play-offs
12 Drogheda United (R)3377193262−3028Relegation to League of Ireland First Division
Source: League of Ireland, Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored. [8]
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ↑ Dundalk qualified for the Europa League first qualifying round by winning the 2015 FAI Cup. However, since they already qualified for European competition based on their league position, the spot awarded to the cup winners was passed down the league.

Results

Matches 1–22

Home \ Away BOH BRW COR DER DRO DUN GAL LIM LON SHM SLI StP
Bohemians —0–01–14–20–10–32–02–12–03–11–00–1
Bray Wanderers 0–1—0–11–00–10–10–54–00–10–31–01–0
Cork City 4–01–0—3–04–11–22–05–02–00–03–23–1
Derry City 1–20–00–2—3–00–10–20–03–00–01–10–3
Drogheda United 0–14–21–21–1—1–22–01–10–30–13–20–2
Dundalk 1–28–11–11–01–0—3–06–21–02–03–03–0
Galway United 5–30–11–31–21–02–4—3–21–21–20–11–4
Limerick 0–30–10–10–21–21–12–4—2–21–13–21–2
Longford Town 2–12–01–40–01–10–20–11–0—0–21–12–2
Shamrock Rovers 0–01–00–04–11–02–23–04–13–2—5–11–0
Sligo Rovers 0–01–31–11–12–01–21–11–13–21–2—0–3
St Patrick's Athletic 3–13–00–02–02–20–23–13–13–00–03–0—
Source: [ citation needed ]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Matches 23–33

Home \ Away BOH BRW COR DER DRO DUN GAL LIM LON SHM SLI StP
Bohemians ——0–1——2–23–0—1–1——2–0
Bray Wanderers 3–1—0–0—1–0—1–12–2—2–2——
Cork City ———0–0—2–21–02–32–3———
Derry City 2–33–1——0–20–2———1–0——
Drogheda United 2–2—1–1————1–40–3—0–4—
Dundalk —4–0——6–0—0–0—0–0—2–24–1
Galway United ———0–41–1——1–34–2—2–10–1
Limerick 4–3——0–2—1–3——3–30–2—3–1
Longford Town —1–0—4–2—————1–31–10–3
Shamrock Rovers 1–1—3–0—5–31–12–0————0–2
Sligo Rovers 0–23–20–21–0———2–3—1–1——
St Patrick's Athletic —1–01–20–12–1—————0–2—
Source: [ citation needed ]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Flag of Ireland.svg Richie Towell Dundalk 25
2 Flag of Ireland.svg Karl Sheppard Cork City 13
3 Flag of Ireland.svg Vinny Faherty Limerick 12
Flag of the United States.svg Jake Keegan Galway United
Flag of Ireland.svg Enda Curran Galway United
Flag of Ireland.svg Michael Drennan Shamrock Rovers
Flag of Ireland.svg David McMillan Dundalk
Flag of Ireland.svg Daniel Corcoran Sligo Rovers
9 Flag of Ireland.svg Christopher Forrester St Patrick's Athletic 11
Flag of Ireland.svg Brandon Miele Shamrock Rovers

Source: [1] [9]

Awards

Team of the Year

No.Pos.PlayerDate of birth (age)CapsClub
11 GK Micheál Schlingermann Drogheda United
22 DF Seán Gannon Dundalk
32 DF Brian Gartland Dundalk
42 DF Andy Boyle Dundalk
52 DF Dane Massey Dundalk
63 MF Richie Towell Dundalk
73 MF James Chambers St Patrick's Athletic
83 MF Stephen O'Donnell Dundalk
94 FW Brandon Miele Shamrock Rovers
104 FW Mark O'Sullivan Cork City
114 FW Daryl Horgan Dundalk

Promotion/relegation playoff

Limerick, the eleventh placed team from the Premier Division played off against Finn Harps, the winner of the 2015 First Division play off, to decide who would play in the 2016 Premier Division. [4]

2 November 2015 Limerick 1–0 Finn Harps Markets Field
Kelly Soccerball shade.svg34' Report Referee: Rob Rogers
6 November 2015 Finn Harps 2–0
(a.e.t.)		 Limerick Finn Park
Funston Soccerball shade.svg38'
Banda Soccerball shade.svg117'		Attendance: 3,200
Referee: Derek Tomney

Finn Harps won 2–1 on aggregate and were promoted to 2016 Premier Division. Limerick are relegated to the 2016 First Division.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Total attendance figures based upon reported 9.8% increase from the 2014 season https://www.newstalk.com/sport/league-of-ireland-match-attendances-show-encouraging-rise-for-2015-627173

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References

  1. 1 2 "Ireland - List of Topscorers". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "League Report: Cork City 1 - 2 Dundalk". extra time. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. ↑ "League of Ireland Attendances 2016 - A complete breakdown (Updated)". extra time. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Ireland 2015". RSSSF . Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  5. ↑ "Dundalk crowned champions with draw in Tallaght". www.rte.ie. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  6. ↑ "We now have a Premier Division champion and the relegation battle is really hotting up". www.the42.ie. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  7. ↑ "CHAMPIONS - Dundalk retain their title in Tallaght". www.independent.ie. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  8. ↑ "PREMIER DIVISION 2015 - Season rules". Scoresway. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  9. ↑ "2015 SSE Airtricity League Premier Division". inform.fai.ie. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
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